Strainer fitting with stopper



Sept. 24,

Filed Sept. 10. 1958 Fig.2

G. H. LAN-r2 ETAL' STRAINER FITTING WITH STOPPER 2 Sheets-Sheet lHIIIPIWHTIT 40 lnim-lllllllllli INVENTORS. George H. Lanrz Mar/m E.Drobi/ifs THE IR A TTORNE YS Sept. 24, 1963 s. H. LANTZ ETAL STRAINERFITTING WITH STOPPER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2' Filed Sept. 10. 1958 INVENTORS.George H. Lan{z Mari II E. Droblllfs zmfiMrw THE IR A T TORNE Y5 djd'ifidd Patented Sept. 24, 1963 3,104,400 STRAKNER FITTING WITH STUPPERGeorge H. Lantz, and -Martin E. Drohiiits, Morgantown,

W. Va., assignors to Steriiug Faucet Company, Morgantown, W. Va, acorporation of West Virginia Filed Sept. 10, 1958, Ser. No. 760,232 8Claims. (Cl. 4287) This invention relates to a discharge drain assemblyor fitting and more particularly, to a drain assembly mountable in adischarge outlet of a sink and providing a strainer fitting with astrainer-stopper assembly cooperatable therewith.

A disadvantage encountered with known types of drain and stopperassemblies is the diflioulty of installation. In the known types ofdrain or stopper assemblies, the drain body, having aradially-outwardly-flanged sidewall portion, is inserted through a drainorifice in the bottom of the sink and is retained therein by a ring notwhich is threaded on the external wall of the drain body and tightenedagainst the under surface of the sink bottom. This type of installationrequires the use of a large wrench to encompass the ring nut, whichwrench must be utilized in the cramped quarters of a base cabinet underthe sink. The problem of tightening the ring nut becomes more acute whenthere are other plumbing fixtures under the sink, such as a double drainor food disposal unit.

A similar problem is encountered with these known types of drain andstopper assemblies when attaching the drain pipe to the bottom of thedrain body. Here again, it is necessary to use a rather large wrench incramped quarters in order to tighten the pipe-connecting nut.

Since both the ring nut and the pipe-connecting nut are applied directlyto tne drain body in these known constructions, it is necessary to formthe drain body out of a heavy gauge material so that it may be threaded.Not only does this entail the use of costly gauge metal, but alsoinvolves expensive threading operations.

An object of our invention has been to provide a solution to theproblems above enumerated;

An additional object of our invention has been to provide means forinstalling a drain body within a discharge orifice of a sink and forconnecting it to a drain pipe with the use of only a screwdriver;

A still further object of our invention has been to devise an unthreadedsmooth-surfaced drain body mem ber of thin gauge metal which may bemounted within a discharge orifice of a sink and connected to a drainpipe without necessitating the use of a ring nut or connecting nutthreaded thereon;

These and the object of simplifying the installation and servicing of adrain fitting will appear to those skilled in the art from the followingdescription and drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is an exploded assembly in elevation, partially in section,showing an embodiment of our strainerstopper assembly;

FIGURE 2 is an exploded assembly in elevation, partially in section, ofa drain body mounting portion embodying our invention;

FIGURE 3 is a side elevation, partially insection, showing the drainbody mounting portion in an assembled position connected to a sink and adrain pipe; and

FIGURE 4 is a bottom plan view of a retainer ring incorporated withinour invention.

The drain and stopper construction of FIGURE 1 and its operativeutilization have been fully described, using the same referencenumerals, in our Patent No. 3,027,569. It will be noted that the claimsof this patent deal with a drain stopper assembly and that itsapplication was filed as a result of a requirement to restrict withreference to claims of the present application.

Referring now to the drain body mounting assembly as shown in FIGURES 2and 3, a drain body member 31 is formed with a cylindrical sidewallportion 32 which terminates in a radially-outwardly-fiared upper portionor annular flange 33. The annular flange 33 is adapted to seat in arecess R surrounding an outlet or discharge portion in the bottom of avessel or sink S. The cylindrical sidewall portion 32 curves inwardly atits lower end and terminates in a discharge end or tailpiece portion 34of reduced diameter. A cylindrical or annular seating surface 35,adapted to receive the inverted frustro-conical wall portion 29 ofstopper 19, is formed in tailpiece portion 34 adjacent the bottom of thecylindrical sidewall portions 32. A rounded edge orshoulcler portion 35at the inwardly-curved lower end of the sidewall portion 32, surroundsthe seating surface 35 and provides a supporting surface for theadjustable feet 22 when the stopper is in its open position. It will benoted that bowl wall 32 of the one-piece, relatively thinwall, drainbody member 31 defines the inwardly-offset shoulder 35 with tailpieceWall 34, and that an outer seating recess for the hollow retainer member43 is defined by the peripherally spaced and radially-outwardlyoifsetwall portions of the tailpiece wall that define latch lugs 36 and latchlug bypassing spaces therebetween. it Will also be noted that the latchlugs 36 are adjacent to and spaced downwardly from the shoulder 35.

A plurality of outwardly-expanded lugs 36 are formed in the tailpieceportion 34 below the seating surface 35. The bottom of the drain body 31is provided with cross bars 37 which form a secondary or safety strainerfor the discharge openings 38 formed in the bottom thereof. The internalsurface 32 of the cylindrical wall portion 32 is of a greater diameterthanthe external diameter of the outwardly-flared portion 15' ofstrainer basket 14, so that the strainer basket 14 does not frictionallyengage the drain body 31. A plurality of internal. recessed portions 36'are formed by the outwardly-expanded lugs 36.

An annular pad Washer 46, made of resilient material, is adapted tocircumscribe the cylindrical sidewall portions 32 of the drain body 31and engage the underside of the sink S. An annular pressure ring 41,made of corrosion-resistant material, has an annular groove 42 formed inthe underside thereof. The pressure ring 41 is adapted to circumscribethe cylindrical wall portion 32 of the drain body 31 and engage the padwasher 40.

A retainer member 43 has a hollow cylindrical body portion 44 and isprovided with a plurality of bosses 45 having threaded bores 46 axiallydisposed toward and in radial alignment with the annular groove 42within pressure ring 41. The bosses are connected to the cylindricalbody portion 44 by means of horizontal web or wing flanges 47 andreinforcing and strengthening vertical web or wing flanges 48. Thehollow cylindrical body portion 44 is provided with an annular flange 49extending radially-inwardly adjacent the top thereof. The annular flange49 is provided with a plurality of radiallyrecessed lug entranceportions 50 adapted to receive the lugs 36 formed on tailpiece portion34 (see FIGURE 4). A plurality of axially recessed lug retainer portions51 are formed in the annular flange 49 arcuately spaced from the lugentrance portions 50. The hollow cylindrical body portion 44 is providedwith an internallythreaded portion 52 extending upwardly to the annularflange 49. A set screw 53, externally threaded at 54 over its entirelength, is provided in each internally threaded bore 46 of the bosses45. Each set screw 53 is provided with a slot 55 to receive a head of ascrewdriver.

A pipe-connecting nut or member 56 has an externallythreaded portion 57adapted to be engaged within the hollow cylindrical body portion 44 byinternally-threaded portion 52. The connecting member 55 is providedwith a plurality of spaced-apart tightening lugs 58 (see FIGURES 2 and3) circumscribing the outer periphery of the nut below the threadedportion 57. The tightening lugs are of suflicient radial depth and haverecessed portions 53a therebetween to permit their being engaged by thehead of a screwdriver so as to tighten the nut within the retainermember. The connecting nut 56 has an annular radially-inwardly-extendingflange portion 59 adapted to receive an outwardly-flanged portion F onthe end of a drain pipe P. An expanded-out portion 6!) permits themember '56 to be tightened within the hollow cylindrical body portion 44without interferring with the tailpiece portion 34 of body member 31.

From the foregoing, it can be seen that the drain body portion may bemounted within a discharge orifice in the bottom of a sink and connectedto a drain pipe without the use of a wrench and by merely utilizing ascrewdriver. The drain body 31 is placed downwardly in the orifice ofthe sink S, so that the annular flange 33 contacts the recess R withinthe bottom of the sink. The pad washer 40 and pressure ring 41 are thenslid upwardly over the cylindrical sidewall portion 32 of body 31, andthe retainer member is oriented so that the lug entrance portions '50receive the lugs 36, as the retainer is slid upwardly on the tailpieceportion 34. The retainer member 43 is then rotated in either direction,and the lugs 36 will engage the retainer portions 51, as shown in FIGURE3. The set screws 53, threaded into internally-threaded bore 46 of thebosses 45, are then received by the annular groove 42 and tightened incompression against the bottom of the pressure ring 41. This operationis easily accomplished by merely screwing the screws upwardly by ascrewdriver. When in its tightened position, the body 31 is pulleddownwardly, so that the annular flange 33 is held tightly against therecessed portion R of the sink S by means of the retainer portions 51which impart a downward force on the lugs 36. The pressure ring 41 isdesigned to provide a uniform load to the pad washer 44} which is incontact with the under surfaces of the sink S. The pressure ring isloaded in compression by the screws 53 to secure the sealing pressurebetween the sink S and body 31.

A drain pipe or tailpiece pipe P having an outward annular flangeportion F is then secured to the bottom of the tailpiece portion 34 bymeans of connecting member 56. The pipe P is slid through the connectingmember 56, so that the annular flange P will rest on the flared portion59. The sealing washer 39 is then positioned on top of the flange F. Theconnecting member 56 is threaded into the hollow body portion 44 of theretainer member 43 by means of mating threaded portions 52 and 57. Themember 56 is tightened within the body portion 44 by means of theradially-extending lugs 58. The lugs 58 are positioned circumferentiallyabout the outer periphery of the member 56, so that the head of ascrewdriver may be positioned within a recessed portion 58a and againsta selected lug. The end of the screwdriver is then tapped with the palmof the hand, in order to rotate the connecting member. This procedure isrepeated until the member has been tightened to provide a water-tightseal between the pipe P and tailpiece portion 34.

While the form of the invention here shown and described embraces ournow preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that various changesmay be made by those skilled in the art, without departing from thespirit of the invention within the scope of the appended claims.

What we claim is:

1. A strainer fitting comprising a cup-shaped receptacle and tail piece,an annular flange formed at the upper edge of said cup-shaped receptaclefor overlapping engagement with the edge of the waste outlet of a sink,a plurality of spaced lugs extending outwardly adjacent to the junctionof said cup-shaped receptacle and said tail piece, a lower clamping ringencircling said cupshaped receptacle and tail piece assembly adjacent tosaid junction, said lower clamping ring being formed to provide inwardlydirected indentations conforming with said lugs to provide a separablesecuring means of the lower clamping ring with said assembly adapted topermit the lower clamping ring to be engaged with said assembly bysliding said lower clamping ring upwardly with said lugs in alignmentwith said indentations and turning said lower clamping ring to a portionin whichsaid lugs are out of register with said indentations, an upperclamping ring encircling and slidably engaging said cup-shapedreceptacle and tightening means connecting said lower clamping ring andsaid upper clamping ring to cause the edge of the waste outlet of thesink to be clamped between said annular flange and upper clamping ring,a basket disposed in said cup U shaped receptacle and means formaintaining said basket alternatively in a position in which it blocksthe conneotion between said receptacle and said tail piece and in aposition in which it permits filtered liquid to flow from saidreceptacle into said tail piece.

2. A strainer'fittlng as in claim 1 in which said 7 piece is permanentlysecured to said receptacle.

3. A strainer fitting as in claim 1 in which said tightening meanscomprises a plurality of bolts threadably engaging said lower clampingring and bearing on said upper clamping ring.

4. A strainer fitting as in claim 3 in which said upper clamping ring isformed to provide downwardly facing recess means to receive the upperends of said bolts.

5. A strainer fitting as in claim 1 in which an annular sealing ring isinterposed between the upper surface of said upper clamping ring and theedge of the waste outlet of said sink.

6. A fitting for the waste outlet of a sink comprising cup-shapedreceptacle and tail piece, said tail piece having a substantiallytubular wall of reduced diameter connected by an offset shoulder to saidreceptacle and projecting downwardly therefrom, an annular flange formedat the upper edge of said cup-shaped receptacle for overlappingengagement with the edge of the waste outlet of a sink, a plural tiy ofspaced lugs extending outwardly adjacent to the junction of saidcup-shaped receptacle and said tail piece, a lower clamping ringencircling said cup-shaped receptacle and tail piece assembly adjacentto said shoulder junction, said lower clamping ring being formed toprovide inwardly directed indentations conforming with said lugs toprovide a separable securing means of the lower clamping ring with saidassembly adapted to permit the lower clamping ring to be engaged withsaid assembly by sliding said lower clamping ring upwardly with saidlugs in alignment with said indentations and turning said lower clampingring to a position in which said lugs are out of register with saidindentations, an upper clamping ring encircling and slidably engagingsaid cup-shaped receptacle, tightening means carried solely by saidlower clamping ring and adapted to be moved on said lower clamping rin-ginto pressing engagement with said upper clamping ring to cause the edgeof the waste outlet of the sink to be clamped between said annularflange and upper clamping ring, and said tightening means being adaptedto be moved on said lower clamping ring out of pressing engagement withsaid upper clamping ring, so that said lower clamping ring may be turnedto the position in which said lugs are in register with saidindentations to remove said lower clamping ring while said tighteningmeans is being carried by said lower clamping ring.

7. A fitting as defined in claim 6 in which said lower clamping ring hasa radially-outwardly projecting group of peripherally spaced-apart wingflanges, each of said wing flanges terminates in a boss, said tighteningmeans has a group of threaded adjustment stems one for each of saidbosses, and each of said bosses has a throughthreaded bore toadjustably-receive one of said threaded stems for positioning said onestem in pres-sing engagement with said upper clamping ring.

8. A fitting as defined in claim 6 for removably-connecting the wasteoutlet of a sink in a fluid-sealed off relation with anupwardly-projecting hollow drain member having a radially-outwardlyprojecting annular mounting flange at its upper end, in which said tailpiece has an annular bottom flange, an annular sealing Washer is adapted.to be positioned between said annular bottom flange and the annularmounting flange of the hollow drain member, a hollow nut is providedthat has an inwardly oifset flange to engage the underside of theannular mounting flange of the drain member, said lower clamping ringhas a downwardly-extending hollow portion that is radially-outwardlyspaced from said tail piece and that has an inner threaded bore, saidhollow nut has an upper portion adapted to project upwardly within thespacing between said tail piece and the downwardly-extending hollowportion of said clamp ing ring and is outwardly threaded toremovably-engage the inner threaded bore of said lower clamping ring tosecure the annular mounting flange of the hollow drain member and saidannular sealing washer in a tight fluidsealed otf relation with theannular bottom flange of said tail piece, and said hollow nut has aportion projecting downwardly beyond the downwardly extending hollowportion of said lowerclamping ring and provided with gripping offsetsfor turning it by hand.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS453,502 Rehm June 2, 1891 1,180,824 Brown Apr. 25, 1916 1,430,558Jimerson Oct. 3, 1922 1,810,115 'Wahl et al. June 16, 1931 2,034,637Mooney Mar. 17, 1936 2,199,964 Rook May 7, 1940 2,220,729 Powers Nov. 5,1940 2,245,887 Wikander June 17, 1941 2,278,566 Schaible Apr. 7, 19422,512,867 Marcussen- June 27, 1950 2,528,919 Stone et al. Nov. 7, 19502,544,498 Hiertz Mar. 6, 1951 2,736,577 Mackey Feb. 28, 1956 2,819,028Brezoskyl et a1 Jan. 7, 1958 2,858,989 Jordan NOV. 4, 1958 2,860,836Jordan NOV. 18, 1958 2,868,465 Wieczorek Jan, 13, 1959 2,875,958Wieczorek :Mar. 3, 1959 2,946,525 Thierer July 26, 1960 3,007,179Bertull-i Nov. 7, 1961

6. A FITTING FOR THE WASTE OUTLET OF A SINK COMPRISING CUP-SHAPEDRECEPTACLE AND TAIL PIECE, SAID TAIL PIECE HAVING A SUBSTANTIALLYTUBULAR WALL OF REDUCED DIAMETER CONNECTED BY AN OFFSET SHOULDER TO SAIDRECEPTACLE AND PROJECTING DOWNWARDLY THEREFROM, AN ANNULAR FLANGE FORMEDAT THE UPPER EDGE OF SAID CUP-SHAPED RECEPTACLE FOR OVERLAPPINGENGAGEMENT WITH THE EDGE OF THE WASTE OUTLET OF A SINK, A PLURALITY OFSPACED LUGS EXTENDING OUTWARDLY ADJACENT TO THE JUNCTION OF SAIDCUP-SHAPED RECEPTACLE AND SAID TAIL PIECE, A LOWER CLAMPING RINGENCIRCLING SAID CUP-SHAPED RECEPTACLE AND TAIL PIECE ASSEMBLY ADJACENTTO SAID SHOULDER JUNCTION, SAID LOWER CLAMPING RING BEING FORMED TOPROVIDE INWARDLY DIRECTED INDENTATIONS CONFORMING WITH SAID LUGS TOPROVIDE A SEPARABLE SECURING MEANS OF THE LOWER CLAMPING RING WITH SAIDASSEMBLY ADAPTED TO PERMIT THE LOWER CLAMPING RING TO BE ENGAGED WITHSAID ASSEMBLY BY SLIDING SAID LOWER CLAMPING RING UPWARDLY WITH SAIDLUGS IN ALIGNMENT WITH SAID INDENTATIONS AND TURNING SAID LOWER CLAMPINGRING TO A POSITION IN WHICH SAID LUGS ARE OUT OF REGISTER WITH SAIDINDENTATIONS, AN UPPER CLAMPING RING ENCIRCLING AND SLIDABLY ENGAGINGSAID CUP-SHAPED RECEPTACLE, TIGHTENING MEANS CARRIED SOLELY BY SAIDLOWER CLAMPING RING AND ADAPTED TO BE MOVED ON SAID LOWER CLAMPING RINGINTO PRESSING ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID UPPER CLAMPING RING TO CAUSE THE EDGEOF THE WASTE OUTLET OF THE SINK TO BE CLAMPED BETWEEN SAID ANNULARFLANGE AND UPPER CLAMPING RING, AND SAID TIGHTENING MEANS BEING ADAPTEDTO BE MOVED ON SAID LOWER CLAMPING RING OUT OF PRESSING ENGAGEMENT WITHSAID UPPER CLAMPING RING, SO THAT SAID LOWER CLAMPING RING MAY BE TURNEDTO THE POSITION IN WHICH SAID LUGS ARE IN REGISTER WITH SAIDINDENTATIONS TO REMOVE SAID LOWER CLAMPING RING WHILE SAID TIGHTENINGMEANS IS BEING CARRIED BY SAID LOWER CLAMPING RING.